Natural Remedies To Try (Even If You're A Skeptic)
There tend to be two schools of thought when it comes to the idea of natural remedies.
On one hand, you have the proponents. The people who claim they take care of their healthcare and wellness needs by natural means only. This group tends to be paranoid about the ingredients in everything, from cleaning products through to the makeup they wear. It borders on the point of chemophobia, with an insistence that the natural world alone provides all that we might need.
Then, on the opposite hand, there are the skeptics. The group that insists that we have developed the science that allows us to advance our health care away from natural remedies. Natural remedies, they claim, are the limits of a bygone era before science and medicine stepped in and took control. There’s no need for these “folklore” remedies in the modern age.
So who’s right?
The most realistic answer is a very simple… neither of them is. When you take a stance in a particular direction, there’s always a chance that you’re overlooking the value of nuance. The reality is that both sides have a point and that we shouldn’t see them as competing theories at all. They actually, when used appropriately, complement one another perfectly.
Not convinced? Maybe you’re a skeptic for whom seeing is believing. That’s understandable. If you fancy seeing what there might be on the other side of the debate for you, then here are a few natural solutions for health, home, and beauty, that might just tempt you to see the merits of the natural way.
Honey For Healing
Rather than slapping a Band-Aid on the next time you get a cut, try some honey on the area instead. This will preferably be raw honey (as in, honey that has never been heated as part of a manufacturing process) - heating kills some of the enzymes that make honey such a powerful wound healer.
Not only does the honey instantly soothe any pain, but it also dries to form a protective film that is far superior to a traditional plaster. Not only that, but it’s well established that honey has strong antibacterial properties, so you’re also protected going forward.
Compost Tea
If you want your garden to bloom this summer, the temptation is to throw as much fertilizer and plant food at the problem as possible. It just seems the right thing to do; it’s how farmers cope, isn’t it?
Of course, there will be some benefits to being found from doing this - but what about a solution you probably already have the ingredients for? Compost tea might sound disgusting, but it’s not a drink for you, it’s for your plants. If you have ever had a plant fail to thrive, then this is something you need to try if you want to make that dream garden a reality.
Castor Oil
While there are certain products to be store-bought that can encourage hair growth, they are often expensive or can irritate the sensitive skin of the scalp. Skin this step by using one of the ultimate “old wives” remedies: castor oil, preferably Jamaican black castor oil. Not only can this - combined with a good scalp massage, three times a week - improve your scalp health, but there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to say it speeds up hair growth.
It’s not just for your head hair, either. If you want longer, stronger eyelashes then apply to the roots of your lashes with a cotton bud every night for a week. There are no verifiable scientific studies that have been done as to the efficacy of this, but there’s - once again - anecdotal evidence that suggests it may be effective. At the very least, it’s in the territory of “can’t do any harm”.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is probably already in your kitchen, albeit reserved for tasks that tend to involve baking. However, these inexpensive white granules have another purpose: they’re a powerful abrasive agent.
If you have any dirt or grease stains in the kitchen (which we all do - let’s be honest!), then sprinkle baking soda onto the affected area. There’s no need to let it sink in as there might be with conventional cleaners; just wet a cloth and start scrubbing. The abrasive action of the particles will soon lift the stain and allow you to return your kitchen to its preferred state.
Further to this, you can also harness the deodorizing properties of baking soda. If you have any upholstery - such as carpet, couch, etc. - then sprinkle baking soda onto the area. Leave for at least an hour, then vacuum away the particles. Any odor should soon be banished away.
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